


Wild Mountain Thyme

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, But story is not inspired by song, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Finn Needs A Hug, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mild Blood, Minor Violence, Ok i can't tag or write dialogue bye, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Requited Unrequited Love, Sad, Sad with a kinda happy ending, Song Lyrics, are included
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 11:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14235855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Poe finds a new guitar.All is well.And then it isn't.





	Wild Mountain Thyme

**Author's Note:**

> ~Please Read~
> 
> As always, I've tagged all the major trigger warnings, but i'll list them here just in case:  
> Major character death and all that entails  
> Mild descriptions of gore and violence  
> Mild mentions of blood 
> 
> Please please, if you feel that I haven't handled any of the topics referenced in this fic well in anyway, tell me! I need to know that what I write is right.
> 
> Also, this fic contains song lyrics (or variations thereof) from a Scottish folk song titled 'Wild Mountain Thyme'. I do not own this song either, in fact I don't know if anyone does, but better be safe than sorry.  
> Let's just pretend that a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, they had Scottish folk songs.
> 
> Disclaimer:  
> I do not own any of the characters or locations (or song lyrics)used in this story. I am merely telling a story based around the characters. Please do not sue me. Thanks.

He had felt bad when he found it, nestled in behind some pipes and covered with a yellowing scrap of cloth. It almost seemed as if it shouldn't be seen by anyone else except it's original owner, lest it damage the intricate object beneath the material. Of course, if those rules were to be followed, no-one would see it at all. Although that's the way many people believed it should be, Poe was stubborn in his thoughts that instruments should still be honoured, perhaps even more so, after many generations had past. Nevertheless, with such a past owner as the one of this instrument, maybe it would be for the best to keep it perfectly preserved. 

He used to have a guitar, a beautiful one his father had gifted him when he had last seen him, however long ago that was now - time was hard to keep track of in a war. The dark wood of the neck and body was carved with the swirling patterns of some faraway planet's language, and his father had told him they would bring good fortune. Poe didn't believe in symbols deciding your luck; he had seen one-too-many brave soldiers with lucky charms around their necks go down in battle. Even so, he kept the guitar in near-perfect condition, and slowly taught himself to play in his free time. 

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and that is especially true when you're living and breathing war. The rapid evacuation from the previous base had meant Poe's beautiful guitar was left behind, which may have bought more than a few tears to his eyes, not that he'd admit it. 

So, when he found a slightly battered guitar on-board the Millennium Falcon, he couldn't be blamed for feeling a little bit ecstatic. At least, that was until he saw a name scratched into the body, and then he felt more than slightly guilty for ever finding it in the first place.  
'He never learnt to play it'  
Poe's head snapped around at the sound of General Organa's voice, to see her leaning in the doorway.  
'He always wanted to, said he would the next time he got free time. Of course, not much time free when hauling raftars.' She smiled to herself, 'and although he wanted most of his stuff never to be touched again, I think Han would have wanted this guitar to be played.'  
She winked and left, leaving a confused Poe with the guitar still in his hands.

So that's how he had ended up with a guitar. It wasn't quite as nice as the one his father gave him, and there was a slight buzzing noise that happened everytime he held down a string too far away from a fret, but it was a guitar nonetheless. He would sometimes perform to his friends and co-workers when the silence between the remaining Resistance pilots was just too much, and then he started playing after dinner every night. When they found a new base, the new-found tradition didn't stop.

He learnt songs, new and old, in languages long lost to the infinite whorls of time and those which were still teething. He wrote his own as well, but they never seemed to be as good as the ones others had already composed. 

His favourite song, however, was one which his mother had sung to him as a child, and which was sung from her mother to her before that. Each lyric was filled with bittersweet memories, and although the song meant so much to him, he had never found the courage to show others.

That was, until now.

Poe had been playing guitar when Finn had slipped into his room, quiet and with his eyes glistening.  
'Woah, buddy, what's wrong?' Poe immediately pulled Finn into a hug, and held him close as sobs wracked his body. 

Finn murmered something about them not loving him back, defeat evident his voice, and Poe felt his heart break a little. He had known Finn had been harbouring a crush on someone for months now, and although he had managed to convince himself he didn't mind (of course he didn't, why would it matter to him if Finn wanted someone who wasn't him?), he still felt a stab of anger. Who couldn't love sweet, caring, brave Finn, who Poe would do anything to be able to... No Dameron, get a grip.  
He made a resolution to kill both Rey and Rose later, as he couldn't figure out who Finn was in love with out of the two of them (...maybe both of them?)and he didn't want to ask.

He didn't let himself get angry, however, and he just lead Finn to the bed and sat him down. After a couple of moments of contemplation about how to resolve the situation which had been presented to him, he finally made a resolution.

'I think I know the perfect remedy' Poe said, taking a deep breath and picking up his guitar, 'My mom used to sing this to me as a child. when i felt as if the world was crumbling around me. It helped me see the light when i thought only darkness was left.' Poe shook his head and looked Finn in the eyes 'I know that's how you feel now, Finn, I can see it everytime i look at you, but the world isn't crumbling, well, not too much at least, and you will get over this.'  
Finn lashed out then, 'How do you know, you have know idea what I'm feeling right now' he had sobbed.  
At that Poe had chuckled, 'Finn, buddy, I feel it everyday'

The silence was heavy, and the tension smothered them until Poe felt as if he could no longer breath.  
So, he began to sing, his clear voice cutting though the air.

'Oh the summer time is coming, and the trees are sweetly bloomin, and the wild mountain thyme grows around the purple heather. Will ye go, lassie, go?'

He continued singing steadily despite the tears which were now threatening to spill out of his eyes, and ignored Finn's look of increasing curiosity, until his voice hitched at the last verse and Finn's brow furrowed. 

'If my true love won't come with me, then I'll surely find another, to pick wild mountain thyme, from around the purple heather. Will ye go, lassie, go?'

Tears were now flowing freely down his face, and Finn grabbed his hand, which burned but he didn't have the energy to pull away. 

'Thank-you Poe' Finn said simply, and stood up and left, leaving Poe curled up and dazed as he watched the back of the one he loved.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Days went by in a blur after that.  
That was, until they didn't anymore.

It had seemed like a normal battle, except the TIE fighters had all been destroyed, so Poe was on the ground, picking off stormtroopers with his blaster.

That's when it happened.

Poe heard someone cry his name behind him, and before he could turn, a sharp pain hit him in the back and the world shifted on its axis. His mind numbed and a fire ignited in his spine, spreading upwards. Crying out in agony, he fell to the ground.

This was it.  
The world was crumbling and no-one could sing his troubles away. 

He was vaguely aware of a gunshot and someone picking him up and holding them to their chest. He forced himself out of his stupor to gaze at them and Finn's hysterical face swam into focus.  
'Finn...' Poe croaked out.  
'Shh, no Poe, don't speak.' Finn held his hand against the fire on Poe's back, and even Poe couldn't miss the crimson staining it as he pulled it away.  
'Finn, please, I need..' he coughed, and the same red shade appeared on his own hand, 'you need to know'  
'Know what?'  
Poe's eyes rolled back, and Finn desperately shook him, 'Hey Poe, stay with me buddy'  
'It was you, Finn' Poe gasped, and he felt the darkness on the periferal of his vision edge closer, 'It's always been you.'  
'Been me? What do you mean, Poe?' Finn's brows were furrowed, and Poe wanted to reach up and rub out the lines, they didn't look right there, but he no longer had the strength.

Poe hazed mind didn't know what to do, so instead he did the one thing he could;  
'Oh the summer time is coming, and the trees are sweetly blooming,' he began to force out.

Poe could see the moment Finn realised, and heard the quiet 'Oh god, no' that fell from his lips. 

'Poe I..' Finn drew in a breath and pulled Poe closer to his chest, 'I love you too, you idiot, i love you so much'

Poe gave him the most illuminating smile then, so out of place on his pain infused features that one might think he wasn't bleeding out in the middle of a field. 

But it soon disappeared, and the darkness began approaching far too fast.

'Finn, I'm so scared' he whimpered and his hands came up to claw at Finn's face. The Poe in his arms was no longer a fearless pilot, but a small boy, terrified and vunerable.

'Shh, Poe, it'll be ok' Finn reassured, though even he didn't believe himself. 'I'm here and I love you'  
'Please don't leave me' Poe begged, and Finn shook his head,  
'I'll never leave you, I love you so much, I won't leave you'

There was a moment of stillness, and then Poe began convulsing in his arms. Finn rocked him gently as he writhed, whispering sweet words into the air.

Poe heaved in one last breath, his body went limp and his eyes went blank.

All was silent, except from the sound of Rey's footfall approaching behind Finn and her pleas that they '...need to move. Finn, he's gone, we've got to go.'

Poe never heard Finn's screams of anguish.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

There are two names scratched on the guitar, both as important as the other. It sits in the corner of Finn's room, but it is no longer covered by a yellow blanket, rather, it is polished every weekend and its strings are replaced as often as possible.

Finn looks at it sometimes, really looks at it, and remembers that day many years ago. He no longer feels the overwhelming pain he had first experienced, it is now just a dull ache. Poe was right, as he always was; the world never really crumbles, and life will go on.

The children ask about it sometimes, and their parents scold them, apologising feverently and their guilt evident in their eyes.  
Finn just laughs, and tells them all about Poe Dameron, greatest goddamn pilot the galaxy had ever seen and pretty darn good guitarist too.

He sometimes even sings them the song, though that's a bit harder, and he can imagine Poe sitting there in the corner of the room and watching the children sway. He can imagine the smile which would grace his features and his laugh when one of the children would even begin singing along.

He will continue this until his time comes, and he will find Poe once again, hopefully gathering thyme on some rocky mountain somewhere.

Until then, however, Finn will find the light.


End file.
